Denis de Jordy - Playing Career

Playing Career

DeJordy was a goaltender with the Chicago Black Hawks, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings over 12 seasons in the National Hockey League. He shared the Vezina Trophy with Glenn Hall in 1967. During the 1966–1967 season he played 44 games, posting a 2.46 Goals Against Average.

DeJordy had an impressive Junior career with the Junior B Dixie Beehives in 1956–57 and the Major Junior A St. Catharines Teepees of the Ontario Hockey Association. He played two seasons in St. Catharines and helped the Teepees to the top of the Ontario League. Stan Mikita was the team's offensive leader at the time, but one of its most famous graduates was Bobby Hull, who had left the team just before DeJordy's time. The three of them played together for seven seasons with the Chicago Black Hawks.

DeJordy's first taste of professional hockey was with the Sault Ste. Marie Thunderbirds of the EPHL and the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL. He was first called up during 1961, but did not play. Chicago still included his name on the Stanley Cup, even though he had yet to play a single NHL game. DeJordy was called up to the Black Hawks in the 1962–63 season. His first NHL game played came on November 8, 1962 when he replaced Glenn Hall who had left the game with a back injury. This ended Glenn Hall's NHL Record of 502 consecutive complete games. DeJordy would start the next game, and play 5 games that season for Chicago. In 1966–67, DeJordy shared the Vezina Trophy with Glenn Hall with the best goals against average.

DeJordy found himself the odd man out in a couple of his next playing situations involving two members of Team Canada of 1972 and future Hall of Famers. When Tony Esposito was traded from Montreal to Chicago, DeJordy found himself serving as the backup for the 1969–70 season.

DeJordy then went to play for the Los Angeles Kings playing all or part of three seasons. He was dealt to Montreal by the Kings in the fall of 1971, where he wound up as the back up to Ken Dryden, who almost singlehandedly led the Habs to the Stanley Cup as a rookie that previous spring. DeJordy played seven games that season.

He was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings after that and after a season with Detroit, DeJordy became the NHL's first goaltending coach, instructing Wings' goalies Jim Rutherford and Doug Grant.

During the offseason, DeJordy also owned a sporting goods store in his home town of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec.